The F-35 has successfully tested its onboard cannon for the first time.
On June 9, an F-35A shot its first salvos from its four-barrel GAU-22/A Gatling gun. The gun fires 25-millimeter rounds that can be used to target enemies in both air-to-air and air-to-ground combat.
"As an Air Force pilot, it's going to be one more thing that I can select to either strafe air-to-ground targets or shoot as an air-to-air weapon," Maj. Andrew Rollins of the 461st Flight Test Squadron said of the F-35's weapons capabilities, according to the Air Force.
But video of the test shows a stationary aircraft that doesn't appear to be running its engines — far from the conditions the plane would face in actual combat.
According to Guns.com, the F-35 cannon can fire 55 rounds per second, but it must fire relatively slowly to conserve ammunition. That conservation is important for the F-35, as the plane can hold only a 220-round magazine. If fired at 55 rounds per second continuously, the F-35 would run out of ammunition within four seconds.
This small supply of ammunition could pose a problem, as the F-35 is intended to replace the A-10, which can hold 1,350 rounds, for close-air-support missions. Cannons play an important role in these operations, as they can target enemy combatants with less danger of collateral damage than missiles.
Still, the F-35's cannon packs greater firepower than cannons on previous fighter aircraft.
"The GAU-22/A uses a 25mm shell, which is significantly more powerful than what I've been used to in legacy aircraft, the F-16 the F-15E, F-15C — all those aircraft use a 20mm shell," Rollins said.
You can view a video of the June 9 test below:
